The user goes to a Web imaging homepage to print a document that was recently submitted to the Web-based imaging system. The user selects a printer from the list of available printers. The user then clicks on the xe2x80x9cprint onexe2x80x9d button located beside the printer selected. If the user has previously printed to this particular device, the printer will print one page according to the last printer settings. If the user has not printed to this particular device, the printer prints one copy based upon a master list of default settings for that printer, such as Source Tray=Auto Select, Duplex=None or Printer Default, etc.
Presently, in Web-based imaging, in order for the user to print a document, the user clicks on the link provided for the selected printer and a Web page setting forth the operating options of the printer is shown. The user then selects from the various options, those options that the user wants implemented in printing the document. After the options have been selected, the user clicks on the Print button. This causes the Web-based imaging system to begin sending the document to the printer to begin printing according to the requested options. Consequently, a more advantageous printing system, then, would be presented if the number of steps to print a document could be reduced.
Ease-of-use issues are a big concern in the field of Internet applications. Many technologies have been developed in order to make it easier for the user to interact with Web sites. For example, cookies are frequently used. Cookies are pieces of data that can be placed on a hard drive of the user""s computer by a Web browser when the user visits a Web site. These cookies make it easier for the user to interact with Web sites that require personal information, such as the user""s name and address. The cookie stores the personal information on the user""s hard drive and supplies that information to the associated Web site on subsequent visits, so the user does not have to enter the personal information every time.
It is known, in e-commerce systems, to employ a one-click method for placing purchase orders via the Internet. Exemplary of such prior art is U.S. Pat. No. 5,960,411 (""411) to Hartman et al., entitled xe2x80x9cMethod and System for Placing a Purchase Order Via a Communications Network.xe2x80x9d While the ""411 reference employs a one-click method for ordering books via the Internet, the user must interact with the server system in order to purchase the books. However, if the user wants to print anything, such as a copy of a list of the books to be purchased, to use the Web-based imaging printing model, the user must execute the printing steps previously discussed. Consequently, a further advantageous printing system would be presented if a one-click option could be utilized in printing.
It is apparent from the above that there exists a need in the art for a web-based printing system that provides a one-click printing option. It is a purpose of this invention to fulfill this and other needs in the art in a manner more apparent to the skilled artisan once given the following disclosure.
Generally speaking, this invention fulfills these needs of providing a method for single-action printing, comprising the steps of selecting a document to be printed by a user, accessing a Web imaging homepage, selecting a target printer, executing a single-action printer command, determining which default settings to utilize on the target printer, and printing the document.
In certain preferred embodiments, the document to be printed is composed/selected at a computer by the user. Also, the single-action printer command is performed by clicking with a mouse. Finally, the last settings utilized in the target printer, if it has been previously utilized, are stored in a xe2x80x9ccookie.xe2x80x9d
In another further preferred embodiment, the use of the single-action printing option and cookie allows the user to print the document without continually having to review the printer Web page.
The preferred printing system, according to this invention, offers the following advantages: ease-of-use and increased user efficiency between print jobs. In fact, in many of the preferred embodiments, these factors of ease-of-use and increased user efficiency are optimized to an extent that is considerably higher than heretofore achieved in prior, known Web-based printing systems.